Recently I've gotten in the mood to watch conversation- or ideas-driven movies. That is, where the majority of the movie is basically just intelligent conversation between intelligent people. To give you an idea of what I mean, movies like The Sunset Limited, The Man From Earth and the classic Twelve Angry Men (didn't much care for the remake, though). I've seen a few already but I'd like to see more.

So, my question is (as you might have guessed), what other movies can you recommend that is in a similar vein?

Edit: This turned out much better than I thought! A lot of great suggestions so far. Thought I'd collect them here for ease of access to anyone else looking for the same thing.

The list of movies thus far...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

London is one, although you might have to stretch your definition of "intelligent." It's a philosophical conversation movie where most of the characters instigate their discussion by consuming copious amount of drugs (mostly cocaine).

There's another one I can vaguely remember but I can't think of it at the moment. If it comes to me I'll edit this post with its title.

The Man From Earth. Damn, I love that movie. I saw it on Netflix, bought the Blu-ray, then bought the DVD once I realized it contained extras the Blu-ray didn't. Then, using the location of the giant dirt track behind the shooting location, which I found within the DVD extras, I located the actual house used in the movie via Google Earth. I correlated the location using the view of the famous Vasquez Rocks formation visible at the beginning of the movie. This of course is not to be mistaken for the otherVazquez Rock.

Did I mention I love The Man From Earth? Anyway, I also liked the movie Exam (2009). It takes place pretty much in a single room, and while the characters aren't exactly intelligent, it's one giant puzzle. Cool, it's still on Netflix Instant. Watch it while you can!

My Dinner With Andre basically consisted of two guys sitting in a restaurant talking about life. One's pragmatic humanism plays off interestingly with the other's more spiritual, idealistic worldview. The result is a philosophical movie that breaks away from cliche. Strongly recommended.

Waiting For Godt is nothing but conversation, based on a play about two tramps who are talking while they are waiting for their friend, who might never arrive. It's an interesting piece and the play was quite eseential to the whole french new wave movement in the 60s (Some of the stuff that inspired Tarantino to do movies like Pulp Fiction). In the same vein i would recommend Alphaville by Godard (actually i would recommend most Godard movies from his early days, they are almost always centered around long conversations), there's a lot of talking going on in that one, it's a very cheap sci-fi movie with a lot of interesting philosophical ideas.

I would also recommend Carnage, where four parents meet to discuss a feud between their sons, but instead they end up talking about themselves and their relationships practically disintegrates as the movie goes on. The last one i want to recommend is Cosmopolis, everyone seem to hate it, but personally i love it. It's a rich guy driving through town in his limo to get a haircut while his business empire is falling to pieces. It's a bit cold and distanced (deliberately) but if you manage to get past that it's quite engaging, funny and interesting. There's a lot of ideas thrown around, like in any Delilo novel.

I suppose any movie by Tarkovsky would apply. Solaris and Stalker are the ones I'd suggest... and I guess if you're looking for this kind of movie, you might not much mind that it is an incredibly slow thing.

Not sure if it's quite what you're looking for, but Alfred Hitchcock's classic The Rope centers around the conversation at a dinner party where two of the diners & the audience know a gruesome secret that the other dinner guests do not. Got ninja'd on My Dinner With Andre.

The 1990 movie, Mindwalk. The entire film is an extended conversation between a poet, a scientist and a politician about how we perceive the world around us and how that perception affects our decision-making. It's actually incredibly interesting, but the only "action" is some people walking and the tide coming in during one scene.

Welllll...to be fair, it's not exactly intelligent conversations taking place throughout the entire movie, but it mostly is just a movie about Jeff Bridges' character meandering through the movie and engaging in various conversations with various people while various situations are occurring. By the end of the movie nothing has really happened other than someone lost a toe and someone has a heart attack.

Now don't get me wrong, the conversations aren't silly or foolish or stupid, they're just not about higher philosophical ideals or the state of socio-economical political affairs.

Total Recall starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone. No I'm serious. Believe it or not, despite the violence and the gore and the infamous three-tittied prostitute, this is easily the most intelligent "Arnie" movie there is. Just think about that.

Whether all that happens is a dream or reality is completely ambiguous. Its left entirely up to the viewer, and its capable of being interpreted in vastly different ways with each viewing.Was it all a dream? Is it real? Is it a total sci-fi mindfuck? Or is it the most backstabbiest spy plot ever? Up to you!

Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Django Unchained, Pulp Fiction, and all of Disney and Pixar's movies come to mind. I've had several great conversations about those, and I rarely talk about movies. Just not something I find easy to talk about.

Hmm, we're beginning to slowly drift away from the topic a little bit here and I think I need to clarify something: The intent was to try and find movies that consisted of basically nothing but conversation. There have been some excellent ones offered, but now the suggestions are starting to move away from that into just "intelligent movies" or "movies with smart dialogue" rather than movies that are (nearly) only conversation. Understandable since it is a niche genre after all, and we may have already scooped up everything it has to offer.

Now, I'm not deprecating these other suggested movies. To whomever said Dirty Harry, Django Unchained, The Big Lebowski etc; They're all great movies, but there is too much happening in them. They simply don't fit the bill :)But please, if you think of any movie that does but is not on the list yet, feel free to suggest it :)

Okay well I misinterpreted the title of this one, so the movie I had in mind when I clicked this doesn't really apply, but I'll say it later anyways.

Umm...off the top of my head for ones that aren't on your list...Buried with Ryan Reynolds? I mean that movie is just him in a box. It's basically nothing but conversation since there isn't really room for action sequences or anything.

Not sure if that works for you or not, or even if that's one you'd like to see, but it's just what came off the top of my head.

The one I WAS going to recommend was Pulgasari (it's on YouTube, subtitles 'n all) the allegorical North Korean Communist Kaiju film.

See, the title of this thread made me think you were looking for movies that actually sparked interesting conversation with other people, and if you've seen MovieBob's Big Picture episode Monster Movie that sort of explains the history and premise, you'll kinda get why that makes for interesting conversation.

I mean as a Kaiju movie just by itself it's really good. It made me wish there were more feudal era kaiju flicks out there. It had an interesting story that had me invested strongly in both the giant monsters and even the human characters (which is pretty rare) So just as a film it's pretty good, but when you consider Pulgasari being a metaphor for communism, the villagers being an oppressed North Korea and the soldiers being their previous dictators, given the way to film ends up going, it's actually pretty breathtaking.

It might not be what you or anyone else reading this had in mind for this thread, but I certainly recommend checking it out.

Yeah, I wish I could've come up with a better title for this thread. That's always been a bit of a weakspot. My bad.

Man, it kills me to not discuss any of these movies further, whether they do fit the bill or not. So many good ones! But that would be too off-topic and I don't wanna flood my own thread. That's for another topic another day, I guess ;)

Another Earth - 2011. There's no action in it, and the main characters are intelligent people, it's just that they get caught up in a tragedy. This one can only be viewed via DVD or Blu-ray, not streaming anywhere as far as I can tell, but then again I don't have cable.

It's A Disaster - 2012. It's a comedy and takes place in a house. Nobody's terribly intelligent in this movie. Some are educated, but not too bright. I'd say it's a must watch. Luckily, it's still on Netflix Instant.

*EDIT*Take This Waltz - 2011. I forgot about this one as well. It's not filmed in a confined area, but it does contain mostly conversation and an almost out of place nude scene, along with an extended sex scene, which is neither here nor there, it's just me warning you. It's actually kind of touching and sad.

*EDIT EDIT*I'm just going to add Moon (2009) to this list as well. It's not an action movie. It does contain some action, but it's cerebral for the most part. And did somebody already mention Solaris? Either one will do I suppose.

Hard Candy. There are pretty much only two characters, in a single location for the entirety of the running time, talking about the ins and outs of an unsolved child molestation case.

Kill Bill Vol. 2. I personally find it quite boring, partly because of this. Takes a long while for the Bride to actually get round to doing the actual thing she came round to Bill's house to do, and the bit with the kid gets kinda cheesy towards the end, but there's some interestingly philosophical discussion there (the part where Bill talks about how Superman is the real person and Clark Kent is the secret identity is oft-quoted).

Donnie Darko - Is he a time traveler? What's with Roberta Sparrow? Why would his teacher get fired if they found out what he told donnie? Is it all a dream? What's with Gretchen sort of remembering him if they never met?